Memories
by Tanith Rayne
Summary: Yuna has to come to terms with losing Tidus. But while one relationship has ended, could another one be blossoming else where?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A short while after the speech in Luca Stadium, a small group of people left the dome and headed for the crowded streets outside. Dressed in plan clothing and keeping their eyes down, Yuna and her Guardians made their way to the only hotel in town.

"This is silly!" Exclaimed a small, blond haired youth by the name of Rikku. Stopping and stamping her feet she continued, "Don't they know who's walking here?"

This outburst bought a reply from another guardian. A tallish woman, dressed in a long black gown, her long braided hair falling about her shoulders. Stopping and turning around to face the youth she said, "Calm down Rikku. Do you want people to know Yuna is here? Don't you think they'll swamp her if they did?"

"Yeah but…"

"Then keep quiet and keep walking. We'll be at the hotel soon enough."

"But Lu-"

"No buts Rikku. Just keep on waking"

"Okay" Said Rikku, dejected that she'd been scolded by the mage.

Although the rest of the group hadn't gone far, they weren't easy to get to through the crowd. As politely as possible Rikku and Lulu squeezed through the crowd and finally managed to join the rest of the group

"I'm fed up with being pushed around." Rikku moaned, dragging her feet along as she walked.

"Hey, cheer up ya! It isn't that bad."

Rikku looked to the man who had just spoken and pulled a face. The man had shocking red hair sticking straight up in the air and seemed to defy all the laws of gravity, but that wasn't what was bothering her.

"Why are you so cheerful Wakka?" She asked.

"Have to be," replied the man. "With Yuna being down the way she is, we all have to stay cheerful. That way, it might rub off on her and she might cheer up little ya? Don't you think?"

"Maybe. It's worth a try I guess."

"Good. Now cheer up Rik." said Wakka, patting Rikku on the shoulder.

The group carried on, making their way through the crowds that seemed intent on hurting them in every place possible. Eventually though they made it to the hotel. Unfortunately, just like everywhere else, the hotel was crowded.

"Oh dear." sighed a young woman. Her dark hair fell gently on to her drooping shoulders as she looked down to the ground. The sad look that was already upon her face deepened. "We'll never get rooms at this rate."

"Hey, come on Yunie, don't be like that. I'm sure we'll get rooms. I'll go check!" With this said, Rikku bounded up to the counter, smiling broadly.

"Hi there!" she said to the woman behind the desk. "Have you got any rooms for the night? We need…um…I don't know, there are five of us…how many have you got…?"

"We only have three rooms, each with two single beds." said the woman in a slightly snotty voice, obviously disliking the young girl before her, but trying to hide it.

"We'll take them."

The woman told Rikku how much the rooms would cost per night and that they were to pay up front. After Rikku had paid, the woman handed her the keys.

"Um… can I ask you something?" Rikku asked nervously.

"Of course"

"How come there are so many people here, you're not fully booked? I mean this isn't that big a hotel, yet you still had rooms free. How come?"

"There's a singer here tonight. She's quite famous around these parts. The hotel manager decided to open the function room up to the public, not just to hotel guests so everyone could hear her. Everyone who isn't a guest at the hotel has to pay. But we still had rooms."

"Oh, okay. So… who's this singer?"

"Her name is Eva"

"Ahhhh…. I think I've heard of her, though I can't say I know much about her."

"You and your friends should come to the concert tonight. It's free for hotel guests. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourselves."

"Thank you." said Rikku.

Rikku walked back to her fellow Guardians holding the keys.

"Hey I got them!" She cried, shaking the keys in her hand. "Three rooms, two beds each. All we have to do now is sort out who goes with who. Easy. Also they have a singer here tonight. What do you say?"

"I would like a room to myself if nobody minds." said Yuna not hearing Rikku fully.

"Sure Yunie, of course you can. Are you're sure you don't want anyone with you, you know, just for company or something."

"I'm sure. Thank you."

Rikku handed Yuna a key. With the key clasped tightly to her breast, Yuna bid goodnight to her Guardians and headed to her room. Once there and with the door closed behind her, Yuna collapsed on to the bed, her head in her hands and began to weep.

"I loved him," she thought to herself. "I loved him and now he's gone."

Curling up into a small ball, Yuna fell into a restless sleep, filled with uneasy dreams.

Meanwhile in another room, Rikku and Lulu were unpacking what little they had with them. Once finished Rikku walked over to her bed, sat down and turned to face the mage. "I hope Yunie is okay. I'm getting really worried about her." She said

"She'll be fine," said Lulu. Walking over and sitting down next to Rikku, Lulu put her arm around the young girls drooping shoulders and continued to comfort her. "It's hard to lose someone you love, but Yuna will be all right in the end. You'll see. She just needs a bit off time and space so she can get things straight in her head."

"I know. But I can't stop worrying about her." said Rikku, wrapping her arms around the older woman.

"We're all worried about her. But the best thing to do right now is just leave her be. She'll come to us when she's ready."

"I know."

"Come now; let's head down to the function room. It should be almost time for that singer's performance. Let's check it out." saying that, Lulu stood and held out her hand for Rikku to take.

Taking the offered hand Rikku stood and said, "Okay, but what about Yuna?

Should we get her or just leave her be?"

"We can knock and see if she wants to come with us. You go see if she if she wants to join us and I'll go see if Wakka and Kimahri are interested."

"Okay then. Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Yuna was tossing and turning in her bed, a slight sweat on her brow. She became aware of a voice calling her name softly. It seemed so far away, so quiet. A soft hand then began to shake her awake ever so gently, the voice still calling to her. She knew that voice… whose was it… she couldn't remember…damn it, she wished she could. As she struggled to wake a small trickle of recognition started to seep in to her brain. That voice, it was male… Tidus… That voice belonged to Tidus!

Fully awake now she sat bolt upright in her bed, almost hitting the person that sat beside her. She looked around, then at the man beside her. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. It was a trick. This couldn't be. The man that sat beside her was dead. She knew that. She watched him die.

Yet here he was, right beside her. His blond hair sticking up in all directions, his smile, all the love he had for her in his eyes…. She reached out a hand and touched his cheek…

"Tidus…"

"I'm here Yuna. I'm right here."

Bursting out in tears Yuna flung her arms around Tidus and hugged him tight. "Oh Tidus… I thought I lost you-"

Placing a finger gently to Yuna's lips to stop her Tidus said, "Shhh, Don't think about that now. I'm here."

As Yuna tried to pull away she said, "But I saw… I saw-"

"Don't think about that now Yuna, please. I'm right here and that's all that matters." Pulling Yuna closer to him again, Tidus placed a kiss on her brow. "I love you Yuna. I have done for a long time." Pulling her closer to him still Tidus kissed Yuna softly on the lips.

"I want you Yuna..." Tidus whispered, pulling away and looking into her eyes

"But, but what about the others. Rikku and Lulu? Wakka and Kimahri? What will they think?" said Yuna looking a little worried.

"They don't have to know. Not yet." He said, lifting his hand up and stroking Yuna's face. "All I want right now Yuna, is you. I've wanted you for so long, but knowing what you had to do… I didn't want to put any more pressure on you…" Moving close to her ear he whispered "… Can you forgive me…?"

"Of course I can." said Yuna with a small chuckle. "There was nothing to forgive."

Eye's bright with barley-contained emotion; Tidus pulled Yuna into a deep kiss, his hands wrapping themselves in her hair. Very gently, Tidus lowered Yuna back onto the bed and started to kiss her more forcefully, his tongue slipping between her lips.

Slowly, Tidus began to run his hand down Yuna's side. When he reached the top of her skirt he slid his finger ever so slightly underneath, making Yuna giggle. Smiling into the kiss, Tidus slid his hand underneath Yuna's top and traced circles up her stomach.

Breaking the kiss Tidus pulled Yuna up again until she was sitting and tugged her top up and over her head. After staring briefly and Yuna's naked breasts, Tidus striped away his own shirt and started to kiss down Yuna's neck and chest. With his eye's sparkling, Tidus grabbed one Yuna's breasts in his hand and started to massage it, the nipple turning instantly hard against his palm.

Pushing Yuna back down on the bed, Tidus lowered his mouth to Yuna's nipple and started to kiss it very gently.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Sitting bolt upright Yuna looked around the room. Tidus was gone. "It was just a dream..." As another knock came from the door Yuna hung her head in her hands and began to weep.

"Yunie...? Is everything okay...?" Pushing the door open Rikku stepped into the room. Seeing her cousin crying on her bed she rushed over and wrapped the other girl in a tight embrace. "Hey come on Yunie, what's wrong?"

"I saw him... He was here..." sobbed Yuna.

"You mean Tidus...?"

"Yes. I saw him, he was here. Right here!" Crying even harder Yuna crumbled in on herself.

"Yuna, I think you were dreaming. Tidus isn't here."

"I miss him Rikku. I miss him so much."

"I know Yuna, we all miss him. But there's nothing we can do. He's gone now. But we'll always remember him. That way he's never really gone."

Sitting up and drying her eyes, Yuna turned to face her younger cousin. "I know you're right Rikku, but it just seems so hard. I love him so much and now I'll never get to see him again."

"I can't imagine how you must feel..." said Rikku. Suddenly, an image of a certain young women entered her mind. A woman with long dark hair and flaming red eyes... The thought of losing her made Rikku's stomach lurch. "Okay, maybe I can understand a little, but you have to move on Yuna. Remember him by all means, but don't lose yourself in the past."

Standing up Rikku continued. "And to make sure you don't get lost in the past you're going to join me, Lulu and everyone else this evening. We're going to see that singer and we're going to have fun." Rikku held out her hand just as Lulu did to her and smiled brightly. Yuna, who always found Rikku's smile infectious, couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay then Rikku, let's go."

"Hey guys what took you so long?" said Wakka as soon as Rikku and Yuna entered the function room. "Eva is just about to start, you only just made it!"

"Ah you know us girls Wakka, we like to talk and we lose track of time easily" Said Rikku with a bright smile and a wink in her eye. "So where are the others?"

"Over there." said Wakka, pointing to the far wall, "Come on, let's go and join them."

Just as they joined the others by the wall, Eva came on stage and started to sing;

_Memories, memories, memories_

In this world you tried  
Not leaving me alone behind  
There's no other way  
I'll pray to the gods: let him stay

The memories ease the pain inside  
Now I know why

All of my memories keep you near  
In silent moments  
Imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories keep you near  
The silent whispers, silent tears

Made me promise I'd try  
To find my way back in this life  
I hope there is a way  
To give me a sign you're okay  
Reminds me again it's worth it all  
So I can go home

All of my memories keep you near  
In silent moments  
Imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories keep you near  
The silent whispers, silent tears

Together in all these memories  
I see your smile  
All the memories I hold dear  
Darling you know I love you till the end of time

All of my memories keep you near  
In silent moments  
Imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories keep you near  
The silent whispers, silent tears

As the song finished everyone looked around at Yuna. Tears were falling down her cheeks, but she held her head up high and didn't make a sound.

_I'll be strong, _thought Yuna, _for you... Tidus..._


End file.
